Idhar Kadhi

Coarsely grind the soaked urad dal with green chilies and ginger, without water (or very little water).

Add salt, asafoetida, turmeric, red chili powder, and dry mango powder to this ground urad dal paste and whisk thoroughly.

Flatten the thick veins on the back of the kuchai leaves by using a rolling pin or cutting them with a knife.

Place a kuchai leaf upside down (smooth side down) on a clean plate.

Apply a thin layer of the prepared urad dal paste on it. Place another leaf on top of it, and then apply the paste again. (Layer 3-4 leaves in this manner).

Now fold the edges of the leaves into a tight roll.

Steam this roll like a dhokla or steamer for 12-15 minutes, and once cool, cut into round pieces.

Fry the roll pieces (here, vadis) on a pan in a little oil until crispy on both sides.

Now, combine the yogurt and gram flour in a bowl and whisk well to remove any lumps. Add 2 cups of water.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried red chilies, and curry leaves.

Add turmeric, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Add a little water and immediately pour in the prepared yogurt-gram flour mixture.

Continuously stir until the curry comes to a boil.

Once the curry comes to a boil, add salt to taste and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.

When the curry is cooked through and thickens, add the shallow-fried Idhar (Kuchai-Urad Dal Rolls).

Let it cook for 3-4 minutes on low heat so the vadis absorb the flavor of the curry.

Turn off the heat and top with freshly chopped coriander. Idhar Kadhi tastes amazing with hot rice.